Industrial radiography in a large enclosure, open-topped (video)
Published: May 27, 2024
Source: Ionactive Radiation Protection Resource
An animation from 2011 showing the detailed radiation protection features and operation of a large open-topped industrial radiography enclosure. The resource describes the radiation shielding, the radiation protection interlock system, the search and lock-up procedure and operation.
Notes on this video
This animation was produced in association with Dr Chris Collins of Grallator. The resource is based on a real installation and an Ionactive client allowed this video to be released to share best practice in radiation protection (suitably sanitised). It was produced in 2011 and whilst industrial radiography continues to evolve, the main radiation protective features outlined are more or less the same as those found in a similar work environment today. This resource is based on an open-topped radiographic enclosure that was used to radiograph wellheads using radioactive Ir-192. It's a good demonstration of where engineered safety systems (such as gate interlocks, active signage, search and lockup) are used in together with procedural controls (such as use of the shielding canopy), to meet the ALARP concept. As clearly shown in this resource, a closed-topped enclosure was not reasonably practicable given the the size and weight of the wellheads that needed to be lifted into and out of the enclosure.
Whilst produced in 2011 this resource is compatible with our recent 2023 blog article on Potential occupational, non-occupational and accidental radiation exposures in industrial radiography using radioactive sources (which borrows several screen shots from the 2011 animation).
Of note, this resource shows:
- Typical radiation shielding configurations.
- A typical fail safe interlock system with redundancy and diversity.
- The use of active and passive signals and signs.
- Use of an independent radiation monitor (to determine radioactive source status and drive the active warning signs and gate interlock accordingly).
- The fail safe nature of the warning and protective systems (i.e. active warning light failure = source retraction and / or prohibition of source deployment / and or prohibition of entry into the area).
- Emergency off systems.
- Emergency manual source retraction system and procedure.
- Typical exposures outside the enclosure (dose rate and accumulative) to those not involved in industrial radiography.
This is by far one of our favourite animated resources and we hope it will be of benefit to those involved in industrial radiography, and anyone else interested in radiation protection practice using high activity sealed sources (HASS).